I planned to read this novel later, but it surprised me two weeks ago in the bookstore and of course I had to take it, because after Miss Austen, a novel that I thought was wonderful, this one is also signed by Gill Hornby and again about a figure of the Jane Austen world. stars - rounded up because of the author’s note at the end which I found far more interesting than the rest of the book. Love to read, write, garden, bake, walk, travel, visit friends and family. Cat lover, westerner at heart, shy, baseball lover, chocoholic.

A richly imagined novel inspired by the true story of Anne Sharp, a governess who became very close with Jane Austen and her family by the #1 International bestselling author of Miss Austen. But, the deepest longing she feels comes from exposure to Fanny’s letters from Aunt Jane and then the arrival of the wry, witty woman herself shows Anne the true friendship and companion of the heart she has been missing all her life. A beautifully written though slightly melancholy book that imagines the life and circumstances of one of Jane Austen's most beloved friends... the shadowy, elusive governess Anne Sharp. Already miffed at her drastic change of circumstances, Anne is desolate when she realises that being a governess is akin to being invisible, 'She was neither a guest deserving of especial courtesy, nor a servant to be treated as a friend'. Things begin to look up when she becomes with Henry and Jane Austen, 'within the walls of that splendid, unforgettable park - her heart had been captured by both.'Ultimately, Godmersham Parkis a historical fiction book that takes historical facts seriously, albeit with a couple of surprising liberties. It’s witty and well-written, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. MY THOUGHTS: After greatly admiring and adoring Gill Hornby’s brillint Miss Austen, I was beyond excited to learn that her next novel focused on another intriguing person in Jane Austen’s life. And that this novel would not only portray their close friendship, but also imagine the shadowy parts of Anne’s life. I’m, of course, interested in anyone who has a slight connection to the Austen family, but I’m especially intrigued about Anne because of her position as governess. She soon finds herself employed by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Austen, governess to the 12-year-old Fanny Austen. RELATED: ‘Bloomsbury Girls’ Book Review: A Beautiful Tribute to Booklovers

Beizsley, Daniel (11 October 2019). "Revealed: Farage's Brexit Party chairman facing questions over offshore tax haven links". openDemocracy . Retrieved 6 July 2020. Once married, a woman had child after child, often until it killed her. As it did Elizabeth Austen after her eleventh baby. “We can generally expect one every eighteen months or so,” Fanny explained to Anne when she arrived. And a woman had little recourse, although one servant explained that after nine children, her mother “sleeps with a rolling pin.” Such was birth control in the 1800s. When I first heard about Godmersham Park and that the story was about Anne Sharpe, a governess that worked with the Austen family, I was all over this book. I was so fascinated in learning about every facet of Jane Austen's life, that books like these have me intrigued and excited to read. More than that, I enjoy learning about the role of women in the early part of 1800's, that tells the story about the complexities of societal class, position, friendships, and matters of the heart. a b c Newman, John (2013) [1969]. Kent: North-East and East. The Buildings Of England. New Haven, US and London: Yale University Press. pp.377–79. ISBN 9780300185065. OCLC 857109148. Her old life– those days once so large, rich and colourful– was behind her, for now. A small corner would be all she required, into which she could shrink and think and reflect. Where her intellect might hope to flourish, though her body and her time must henceforth

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Gill Hornby ha sabido plasmar su historia utilizando las mismas técnicas y lenguaje narrativo que se estilaban en la época, con un toque moderno ya que pone el foco en las vidas de las mujeres y las escasas alternativas que tenían a su alcance y los factores que determinaban esas alternativas. Así pues, aunque no es una novela feminista, si que se pone la luz sobre esos temas, ya que, como es lógico, aquellas mujeres se preocupaban por su porvenir teniendo en cuenta su condición de mujeres. Esta preciosa novela costumbrista habla sobre mujeres de toda condición, lo que reflexionaban cuando estaban solas, las cargas que llevaban, la incertidumbre y la reducida educación que recibían. La propia Jane Austen hace hincapié, por ejemplo en “Orgullo y prejuicio” en cuales son las enseñanzas adecuadas para una mujer o en “Sentido y sensibilidad” se indica que dependen de la bondad de familiares cuando se quedan solas y sin un padre que las apoye, tal y como les sucedió a la propia Austen o a Anne Sharp en sus vidas reales. If you love Jane Austen you're sure to enjoy Gill Hornby's stylish glimpse into the life of young governess Anne Sharp ... this elegantly written tale skilfully recreates a world where governesses are midway between the family upstairs and the servants downstairs.' The Independent Drawing her plot from events described in the diary of Jane Austen’s niece, Fanny, Hornby imagines the early life of Fanny’s governess, Anne Sharp, who forged a close friendship with Jane. The pleasure of this novel lies in its quietly satisfying portrait of a woman facing social prejudice and ill health, yet gradually coming to realize her own worth."

Thoroughly entertaining, Godmersham Park has some of the same understated wit and sharp observation as Austen's novels' Sunday Times The governess role is a uniquely awkward one. Anne is neither one of the servants, nor one of the family, and to balance a position between the "upstairs" and "downstairs" members of the household is a diplomatic chess game. One wrong move may result in instant dismissal. Anne knows that she must never let down her guard.Se concentra en ella y en Henry Austen, una especie de Henry Tilney que parece que se sintió atraído por la joven, aunque aquí no podía haber cuento de hadas, pues Henry estaba casado. También habla de la amistad de la institutriz con Jane, que era como la otra cara de la moneda de Henry, ambos agradables, interesantes, buenos y seductores. Y aquí es donde la ficción aparece, pues aunque sabemos los hechos, y aunque se respeta a los personajes, hay ficción en como se expresan estas relaciones. Still, the two are drawn together – he to her intellect and spirit – and she to his joviality and warmth. We're twin sisters who believe in the power of great love stories, in beautiful tales of Modern Romanticism, and in living a more Romantic, imaginative lifestyle. On January 21, 1804, Anne Sharpe arrives at Godmersham Park in Kent to take up the position of governess. At thirty-one years old, she has no previous experience of either teaching or fine country houses. Her mother has died, and she has nowhere else to go. Anne is left with no choice. For her new charge—twelve-year-old Fanny Austen—Anne’s arrival is all novelty and excitement. Hornby’s skillful mix of fact and fiction captures the complexities of the Austens and their era, and her crisp, nimble prose sparkles throughout. Best of all, Hornby genuinely channels the sentiment of 19th-century English literature. Janeites aren’t the only readers who will relish this smart, tender tale.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review

If you are interested in expanding your view of Jane Austen's family and friends, or of Regency social history, this book is for you. The book has a steady pace while keeping the reader engaged (due to the trials and tribulations of Anne’s life) throughout, yet Hornby manages to keeps a light atmosphere. Anne Sharp arrives in Kent as an unknown thirty-one-year-old woman whom the Edward Austen’s have hired sight unseen through the influence of a family acquaintance to fill the role of governess to their oldest daughter, Fanny. This is their first experience with a governess and her own first time in the role.This is a difficult review to write, for when it comes to Godmersham Park, I am of two minds. One the one hand, it is irrefutably a well-written book in terms of prose, character development, and historical detail. On the other hand, it is not what I would call a stimulating read. Reading it was not particularly enjoyable, nor was it altogether unpleasant. And therein lies the conflict: I neither like nor dislike this book. But still there's the reminder of class, station in life, and how all female's position in life is reliant on a male. Very confused with the triangle between Henry, Anne and Jane (despite her, since Jane sees Anne as nothing more than a good friend all the time, like another sister). It is clear that Henry and Anne have feelings for each other, but at the same time, Anne doesn't want to admit it because of how she has been raised and the male figures that have surrounded her, or maybe because she is a lesbian? Or because she doesn't want to fall like her mother fell being someone's lover? Regarding the possible homosexual or bisexual attraction, this part is somewhat problematic for me, because Anne admits to love both of them, but at that time, she does not even reflect on whether her feelings for Jane are "natural" or not, something that should have been developed, but everything is very fast and ends soon, with a Jane who does not even perceive this in her friend, and who can only reciprocate her with friendship, and for me it is somewhat confusing. It is also not understood, apart from her fraternal jealousy, that Cassandra had problems with Anne, because no conflict is fictionalized, I suppose because the author does not have enough data. Henry on the other hand, moves between an Austenian hero with the misfortune of having a wife, and no fiancée, and on the other, someone who is a seducer, a kind of Willoughby, and it all seemed very strange to me.